The Hangman's Daughter Review

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The Hangman's Daughter ReviewThe Hangman's Daughter seems to be one of this year's buzz books. I read a few professional reviews and it really seemed like an interesting story. Historical thrillers are like catnip to me, and this one is a translation from the original German book which was written by a descendant of the book's fictionalized main character. So, my hopes were high. Unfortunately, the writing in the book was uneven enough that the overall package was not as terrific as I'd hoped.
This book tells the tale of Jakob Kuisl, a hangman with a heart in a small Bavarian town in the 1600's. Naturally, his daughter also has a role in the book, though she is not as prominent as one might expect from the title. In any event, some murders in the town result in the arrest of a midwife for witchcraft, and Jakob and some other well-meaning citizens try to solve the mystery before time runs out for the midwife. Meanwhile, the majority of the village's aldermen are uninterested in the truth and are only interested in protecting their money. The historical aspects of the story are very interesting, and the beginning of the book got off to such an excellent, riveting, and fast-paced start that I recommended it to a friend when I was about halfway through. Unfortunately, things started to slide downhill after that (if you are reading this: sorry Amanda!).
The biggest problem with the book were the 'action' scenes. After the mystery is laid out there is a lot of chasing and hiding and fighting, etc, but not enough to hold my interest. These were sections where I was skimming just to get through them. In addition, by the time the action started, I found myself not caring overly much about either the villains or the heroes in the story. In particular, he villains weren't really well characterized and started sort of blending together. It was hard to work up much of a desire to see them thwarted. I did very much like the character of Jakob. If it were up to me it would have been all about the hangman, not about his daughter.
In summary, this book had a great premise and an excellent, compelling start. Unfortunately the second half of the book did not live up to the first. Bottom line: I think the book has been over-rated. However, if I'd only read the first half I'd be raving about it, too.
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Secret of the Seventh Son Review

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Secret of the Seventh Son ReviewLiked:
I bought this book because I love police procedurals, and I thought this book would be a prime example of that. Wow! I got that and more.
This was a serial killer mystery with a historical element that will make you really think.
The writing was excellent, drawing scenes in the reader's mind with ease. The switching among the three time frames was done effortlessly and seamlessly in a manner that kept the reader enthralled rather than confused.
Disliked:
This is hard to say without giving spoilers, so I will just state that there were a couple of avenues that the author could have explored and didn't.
Overall:
A tremendous thriller with a solution that will have you pondering things long after you put it down.
Rating: R for language, violence, and rapeSecret of the Seventh Son Overview

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The Sixes: A Novel Review

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The Sixes: A Novel ReviewHere are six reasons why I found The Sixes less than satisfying (minor spoilers):
1. The Implausible Set Up. I'm happy to suspend disbelief, but this book stretches even my credulity. I highly doubt any respectable college would hire someone accused on plagiarism. And even in fiction, reasonably intelligent people call the police when their home is repeatedly broken into and their safety threatened.
2. The Shallow Characterisation. None of the characters ring true; they're all one-dimensional. The author meticulously describes what everyone is wearing, but never digs beneath the facade. Phoebe is bland and far too trusting for someone who supposedly used to dig up dirt for a living. Best friend Glenda is a driven career woman, so focused on her job she fails to notice that her marriage is disintegrating. Love interest Duncan is stereotypically handsome and brooding with a mysterious past.
3. The Dull Villains. The girls in the Sixes are more mild than mean. They don't pose a credible threat and, in the end, aren't even involved in the murder.
4. The Total Lack of Suspense. This thriller is lacking in genuine thrills. For example, the Sixes break into Pheobe's house leaving apples and later teaspoons. Sorry, but I just don't find fruit and flatware frightening.
5. The Bad Sex Scenes They weren't necessary to the plot. They also weren't romantic, sensual or erotic.
6. The Bland Storyline. The mystery failed to engage me and the solution was rather trite and predictable. Ultimately this book was like a made-for-cable movie: nothing special, but not bad enough to make you change the channel.
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A Killing Tide Review

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A Killing Tide ReviewMany times, a writer's first novel is good, but can have inconsistencies that are hopefully addressed as the author matures in his or her craft. Maybe one of the characters is underdeveloped. Or a weird glitch in the plot happens that doesn't make sense. Or too much backstory might be crammed into the present tense.
Fortunately for her readers, P.J. Alderman's first novel, A Killing Tide, doesn't suffer first-time jitters. In this suspense novel with a strong romantic subplot, Alderman introduces diverse characters, mixes them up with plots upon subplots, and sets it all against the backdrop of small-town Astoria, Oregon. Better still, she makes it work.
The book's heroine Kaz Jorgenson is a woman who, despite her plushy job as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies in San Francisco, has salt water running through her veins and the love of the ocean in her heart. When Kaz is called home to Astoria to help brother Gary Jorgenson with hot water he's drowning in, she stumbles into more than she'd bargained for. Like . . . a family friend murdered. Like . . . one of her family's trawlers set on fire to cover the dirty deed. Like . . . her brother disappearing and becoming the number-one suspect in the case.
Enter Michael Chapman from Boston who is Astoria's new fire chief and a trained arson investigator to boot. While trying to solve the murder-arson-disappearing brother mystery, he becomes attracted to Kaz. But Michael doesn't want to get involved with Kaz because she's the number-one suspect's sister. And Kaz doesn't want to get involved with Michael because she thinks he's out to bust her brother.
But the book is about more than the hero and heroine playing cat-and-mouse with one another while they sort out their emotions. Michael and Kaz's growing relationship fits seamlessly into the overall whole, making this not a love story with a plot stuck around it for fun, but an intense mystery in which two people are trying to find the truth about a murder, and love develops as a consequence.
Another plus are Alderman's highly likeable characters. Michael is a flawed, tortured hero, but the reader isn't constantly beaten over the head with it. Michael acts like a normal individual who is working through his trauma, rather than someone who constantly descends into sackcloth and ashes for what he did in the past. And Kaz is a strong woman with a good heart who carries her own share of guilt. But again, Alderman achieves balance with her. She isn't some impossible heroine fulfilling some impossible ideal. She's a flesh-and-blood person who -- surprise! -- stumbles occasionally.
Adding to the richness of the novel are the secondary characters. Kaz's best friend Lucy is extremely well-defined; and this writer hopes Alderman will consider a sequel with her in it. Bjorn and Chuck, two of Gary's staunchest allies, are also wonderfully developed and almost strong enough to carry the book on their own. Even Zeke, Michael's German Shepherd, has a winning personality and charm to add a few humorous moments to an otherwise intense story.
In short, Alderman has done very well with this debut novel. If the adage is true that there's nowhere to go but up, her next effort should be well-anticipated and just as strong.
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The Abbey Review

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The Abbey ReviewI purchased this .99 book as one of my first electronic downloads. For .99 I wasn't looking to be wow'd but I was. Most surprising is the main character (Ash) is Muslim. Ash is a Muslim version Dirty Harry! Chris Culver weaves the detective's religion into the story in such a manner that displays Ash as a spiritual man, but a bad boy cop at the same time. As a Christian, I found myself chuckling at the way that Ash recognizes his duty to his religion but does what the 'flesh' tells him is necessary to seek justice; he does it without apology. No turning the other cheek here! Hooray for Ash and Chris Culver in this amazingly fresh look at crime fighting.The Abbey OverviewAsh Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer, but the longer he searches, the more entangled he becomes in a case that hits increasingly close to home. If he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury.

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